East coast skiing VS. West coast skiing

When I was 19 I left NJ for Colorado, and although I was an avid skier back east, the terrain and snow out here made me a much much better skier than I ever thought possible.

However, I wonder now if I missed something then, I didnt really explore the mountain in my teens the way I do now. I never hiked for my turns or ventured into the backcountry. I never experienced skiing deep snow in the east the way I have here.

The huge snows and terrain of Alta, the demanding terrain of A basin, the size and exposure of Jackson hole, the short and technical steeps of Squaw...all in the west.

Is there an east coast equivalent of the mountains above?

Did I miss something?

Or do all real skiers need to pack up and move West to challenge themselves?

lol! Oh, I guarantee that if you were skiing "Flatton" with me yesterday you would have been challenged all right. I almost tagged a tree on a stupid blue run because the entire mountain was a sheet of ice. Look, it's better than nothing. But easy is not a word I would use to describe those conditions.

Not to mention the 3 inch rock solid death cookies on what was supposed to be the "soft side" of the trail, and the nice little black rocks and exposed dirt.

Yes, EC skiing is challenging...but you should stick w/ the conditions you have now. Challenges like these nobody needs!
:p
Sprite

I have lived in both and the really is no comparison. The East get's some good days and it is better than nothing, but no, you are not missing anything. It is nice in the summer tho, you can go camping and make a roaring big-ass fire without getting arrested, and hiking without worrying about lightning.

So Colorado's on the West Coast now, eh? ;)

yup, ive had some great deep days out here, but out west better suits the style of skiing in into. the east is fun for trees/bumps etc, but theres really no place to really let it rip and make huge turns, the terrain is so different.
not that skiing some crazy stuff out here isnt challenging, its just different

Jongish question...I've never been out west...but are there bumps out west? Like east coast bumps, icy troughs and such (ECers know the bumps I'm talking about) or are the bumps just like big ol powder bumps?

bump size and snow quality depend upon snowfall and skier traffic, but besides some crappy early season conditions we usually dont get the typical mounds of snow with ice in between that you can find on the east coast.

West is better hands down....the only way that it may not matter is for the racers cause their courses are always icy no matter where you go....for everything else you want to be out west...Im so sick of this rain killing all our snow, at one point Jay peak had as much snow as Alta, i think it was around 200 inches and they didnt even have everything open because of the damn rain... luckily this is the last year i need to deal with this, ill be in CO next yr......

btw sorry for the rant this post turned into.....

Quote:

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Originally posted by Evil E
the terrain and snow out here made me a much much better skier than I ever thought possible....

Is there an east coast equivalent of the mountains above?

Did I miss something?

Or do all real skiers need to pack up and move West to challenge themselves?

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No.
Yes.
Absolutely not. It's just a different challenge. And one that could, arguably, have made you just as good a skier as you are now. I think the east breeds some pretty serious rippers - the main difference being that they lack the forum to display their skills. The technicality and subtlety of Eastern lines do not make for grandiouse images or flashy decents. But the ability is there and so when they do make it out to the Western playground, they go apeshit.
Or something like that.

Sick and ashamed and happy (and it's silly to compare the terrain),
d.

Quote:

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Originally posted by gincognito

The technicality and subtlety of Eastern lines do not make for grandiouse images or flashy decents. But the ability is there and so when they do make it out to the Western playground, they go apeshit.
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d.

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Exactly.

Terrain in the east is obviously not the same as western terrain. That being said I have to agree with gincognito that the challenge is there. Whether it is a tight steep tree line or steep bump runs, eastern skiers learn to deal with a variety of snow conditions and terrain. This type of "survival skiing" being able to ski anything in almost any condition transfers over easily when we get out west in to the soft deep snow and wide open spaces. with out a doubt east coast skier can and do rip when we do make it out there.

Weeeeeeeessssssssssssttt Coooooooooooooooassssssssssssst

"Survival skiing" is a good way to put it Vin. And it requires serious muscle as my quads will attest after 3 days of everything from loose slush to bulletproof! It's all good though, and it does develop technical skills & strength.

I just can't wait to get to the Tahoe playground in March so I can go all apeshit!!
:D
Sprite